Missing girl found, back with family

CHILLICOTHE – Chillicothe police reported just before 1 p.m. today that they have located a 14-year-old girl who had been reported missing by her mother.

Chillicothe Police Capt. Larry Bamfield said Brooklynn Pettit was discovered at a home on Stanhope Road in Ross County and is back safely with her family. She was picked up by her family after neighbors on Stanhope Road reported seeing her.

The public had been asked Tuesday morning by authorities for help finding Pettit, who had left her home on Seymour Road at about 4:37 p.m. Monday and had not been seen since, according to an incident report. Her mother, Greta Spears, told police she had received a text message from her daughter telling her she is "OK."

Police had checked several locations for the girl, including an abandoned house on Clinton Road that her mother thought she might have gone to with other juveniles, but had not been able to find her. She was entered into the Law Enforcement Automated Data System as a runaway juvenile before being discovered.

Chillicothe Police expressed gratitude to the public for helping find the girl.